General Electric "Monitor Top" Refrigerator (1927)

In 1927, General Electric introduced the first all-steel refrigerator cabinet, the iconic Monitor Top, which soon made the company the industry leader. Electric refrigerators revolutionized the way Americans purchased, prepared, and stored their food. Sure, today's refrigerators can make ice, dispense water, and be operated from smartphones, but in the early part of the 20th century, just being able to keep food for long periods without spoiling must have seemed like a small miracle.